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THE WISHING FAIRIES 



























































c% 

(Dislmut fiatrira 

BY 

MADGE A. BIGHAM 

Author of “Mother Goose Village,” “Overheard in 
Fairyland,” “Within the Silver Moon,” etc. 

DRAWINGS IN COLOR BY 

FANNY Y. CORY 


NEW YORK 

feaii attfc (ftampattij 

1915 




Copyright, 1915 

By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 




OCT-6 1915 

©Cl. A 4 108 <9 

"UO . / x 


CONTENTS 


i 


) 

) 

? 

? 


PAGE 


I 

The Wishing Fairies 

1 

II 

The January Fairy 

• 4 

III 

The February Fairy 

• 7 

IV 

The March Fairy 

n 

V 

The April Fairy 

. 14 

VI 

The May Fairy 

16 

VII 

The June Fairy 

. 18 

VIII 

The July Fairy 

. 20 

IX 

The August Fairy . . . . - . 

• 23 

X 

The September Fairy 

. 26 

XI 

The October Fairy 

. 28 

XII 

The November Fairy 

• 31 

XIII 

The December Fairy 

• 34 

























ILLUSTRATIONS 


And all were to march to Tim’s house 

In a long parade so gay Frontispiece 


FACING 

page: 

So he wished with his cap for a beautiful sled 

And a long, steep icy hill 6 

This time a baby blew up in the air, 

And turning a somersault, blew down again . . . . 12 

You never saw children so happy before 

When up from the ground those umbrellas grew . . . 16 

Some were hoeing and some were raking, 

And some were spading, you know 20 

For as soon as the baby swam to the land 

Bess screamed and holloaed and ran and ran .... 24 

He chased those children as hard as he could 

And ran them until they were all out of breath ... 28 

They were spooks, my dear, a whole line of them 

A-creeping down the stairs 32 



THE WISHING FAIRIES 






























I 

THE WISHING FAIRIES 

There were twelve little fairies in Fairyland, 
Who wanted something to do, 

So they ran pell-mell to the fairy queen, 

And asked her if she knew. 

Now the fairy queen was weaving caps 
Of brown and blue and red, 

But listening to the fairies twelve, 

She raised her golden head. 

“You make me think,” she said with a smile, 
“Of the twelve little months in a year, 

So I’ll finish these caps in a hurry for you 
And each may have one to wear. 

A name I’ll place on the front of the caps 
Which name I shall call you elves, — 

If you’ll dance to the edge of the Mirror Lake 
You may read it for yourselves.” 

[ i ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


So the tiny fairies danced away, 

To the brink of Mirror Lake, 

And jauntily bobbing each golden head 
They read their names in the lake. 

January and February and March and April and May — 
And all the rest remember, 

From the flowery month of beautiful June 
Down to the gay December. 

Now the fairies twelve, having learned their names, 
Danced back to the queen in a row 
And she counted them out in the quaint old way 
Of ennie, miney, mo. 

For the fairy queen was a wise good queen, 

And in counting her fairies out, 

She was planning to send them away to the earth 
To do kind deeds, no doubt. 

[ 2 ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


“One by one, you shall go,” said the queen, 

“To the earth world down below 
And just in the order of the months of the year, — 
As your caps all tell, you know.” 

Then she did for the fairies a wonderful thing, 
Which would please any child like you, — 

For she sprinkled their caps with a powder of gold 
That would make their wishes come true. 

And now I am going to tell to you 
The wishes these fairies made, 

When one by one they came to the earth 
And each his visit paid. 

But when fairies make a wish, dear child, 

They wish not for themselves, 

And I shall leave it to you to guess 

Which wished the best, — these elves. 

t 3 1 


II 

THE JANUARY FAIRY 

The January fairy came to the earth, 

One crisp, cold wintry day 
Wearing a snow coat trimmed in ice 
And his wishing cap so gay. 

He poked about in cities and towns 
All through the early morn, 

Trying to find some very good child 
To try his fairy wish on. 

Of children here on the earth, you know, 
There are scores and scores and scores, 

But of children that are always good, my dear, 
They are not at all the doors. 

But a fairy elf with a wishing cap 
That wonderful things will do 
Is willing to hunt and hunt and hunt 
Before he ever gets through. 

[ 4 1 


THE JANUARY FAIRY 


So at last this January elf 

Found a child he thought was good, 
Because she was busily working away 
Gathering sticks and wood. 

Not for herself , but for Daddy Blake, 
Who was crippled and worn and old 
And could not gather sticks himself 
To drive away the cold. 

And though I am sure she liked to play, 
This little girl so dear, 

Each day she hurried away from school 
To give poor Daddy cheer. 

“Oh, a fine little girl ! A dear little girl !” 

Said the January fairy, 

“I’ll use my wishing cap right now, 

And will no longer tarry.” 

t 5 ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


So he wished with his cap for a beautiful sled 
And a long, steep icy hill 
With boys and girls and other sleds 
A-frolicking on the hill; 

And this same little girl in the coat of brown 
Is the one in the picture there, — 

She is having the gayest of times, you see, 
As she coasts in the frosty air. 

At the top of the hill, with his merry face, 
You will find the fairy elf, 

He is watching the sled of the little girl 
Who is surely enjoying herself. — 

“Oh, a fine little girl ! A good little girl ; 

All the fairies will love her,” he said, 

“And now I must hasten to Fairyland, 

For the children should go to bed.” 

[ 6 ] 



So lie wished with his cap 
for a beautiful sled 
And a long, steep icy hill 


















































\ . * 



. 




















■* 


> m i 




























Ill 

THE FEBRUARY FAIRY 

The February fairy was the valentine fairy 
And had charge of Cupid’s darts, 

So he donned his coat strewn over with birds 
And stars and silver hearts. 

A-down to the earth on wings of love 
He floated through Fairyland Gap, 
A-wondering what in the world he’d find 
To do with his wishing cap. 

But he needn’t have worried, I think, about that, 
As many will tell to you, 

For the world is full of a number of things; 

There’s always plenty to do. 

So in a wee little house on the edge of the town, 
Guess what this valentine fairy did find ? 
Why, a crabbed old woman as cross as two sticks, 
Who never had gotten a valentine, mind ! 

[ 7 ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


There were girls and boys a dozen or more 
Who were even afraid to pass her door ! 

And the valentine fairy with wishing cap 
Was not very much surprised at that. 

Because the old woman was called a witch 

And, the children heard, would stitch and stitch, 
Sewing on bags to put children in — 

If ever she caught them, fat or thin. 

Now the little love fairy didn’t like this; 

He wanted the witch woman’s face to smile, 

He wanted the children to love her, you see ; 

And on this problem he thought quite a while. 

“I know,” he said, with a nod of his head, 

A twist of his body and clothes so fine, 

“This old witch woman so crabbed and cross 
Needs to be sent a valentine.” 

[ 8 ] 


THE FEBRUARY FAIRY 


And just at that moment, holding something so tight, 

A very small boy came whistling along; 

What he held in his hand was sealed with a heart — 
You can guess what it was, unless I am wrong. 
Yes, to be sure! a valentine, child, 

And the boy was carrying it to his sweetheart — 

A dear little girl with eyes of deep blue, 

Who lived on the edge of the village mart. 

But the February fairy, with very low bow, 

His wishing cap waved as sly as a mouse, 

And wished instead, I’ll have you to know, 

That the little boy take it to the witch woman’s house. 
And that’s what he did, as sure as I live; 

He took it right up to the witch woman’s door! 
And shuddered and shuddered, as scared as could be. 
Afraid to look even behind or before. 

[ 9 1 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


But shoo ! when the witch woman opened her door 
She wasn’t the least bit scary, my dear, 

But she smiled and she smiled, as gay as could be 

(Because the love fairy had wished it, you see) . 
And then when she opened her sweet valentine 
She invited the little boy right in her house ! 

And when he came out, he was smiling himself , 

For his pockets full of good things from her shelf. 

So he told all the children that lived in the town 
The witch woman into an angel had changed, 

And they flocked to her house in a hurry to see, 

And found it as true as true as could be. 

When the fairy queen heard it, she laughed with delight 
At the very queer deed that this fairy had done, 

For changing witch women into angels , you know, 

Isn’t the easiest thing under the sun. 

[ 10 ] 


IV 

THE MARCH FAIRY 


Now the little March fairy was airy and light, 
And anxious to try his own wishing cap, 

So he slid down a silver rope hitched to the clouds, 
And stopped in a town not down on the map. 
But in looking around he found a small dog 
That some one had thrown in the river to drown, 
So all in a twinkle he wished for a string 
And wiggled and wiggled it up and down. 

The little dog saw it and wagging his tail 
He swam to the fairy and caught to the string, 
The fairy then pulled and pulled with his might, 
When out came the dog, — a very wet thing ! 

“ Ho, ho! ” laughed the fairy, “ a collar I’ll wish 
And lead you, poor doggie, to dry in the sun.” 
So the string and the collar together were tied 
And doggie and fairy both had a good run. 

[ n ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


But alas, as they ran, there was trouble ahead 
For the wind it blew and blew and blew, 

And though the doggie ran fast and the fairy held tight 
Why the wind cut the string right in two. 

Up went the little dog, high in the sky, 

Higher and higher than the tail of a kite ! 

But the March fairy touched his small wishing cap, 
And wished and wished with all of his might. 

Why, dearies, of course you know he wished 
That the little dog back to the earth would come, 

He even wished for another thing — 

A wee little girlie to hold the string. 

You can glance at the picture and see for yourself 
The girl and the dog and a baby or two. 

She held to the string and wouldn’t let go, 

Though the wind it blew and blew and blew. 

t 12 ] 



This time a baby blew up 
in the air, 

And turning a somer- 
sault, blew down 
again 

















































































































































































































THE MARCH FAIRY 


This time a baby blew up in the air, 

And turning a somersault, blew down again, 

But they all hurried on as fast as they could 
And reached their home in the south of Spain. 
The twelve little fairies in Fairyland 
Laughed at the wish of the dog and the string, 
But the little March fairy cared not a whit, 
Because he thought he’d done a good thing. 


[ 13 ] 


V 

THE APRIL FAIRY 

The fairy with April pinned on her cap 

Was anxiously waiting to make her own trip; 

So she flew to the rainbow and slid down its arch 
And jumped to the earth with a hop and a skip. 

She skipped on and on till she came to the woods, 

Where a bevy of children were out from the town 

Gathering violets sweet in the spring, 

And each one dressed in his very best gown. 

Their mothers had told them to watch for the clouds 
For fear that a shower would spoil their new clothes; 

But the children forgot, and the rain came down 
And sprinkled them over from head to toes. 

“ My!” cried the fairy, “now what will they do 
Not one umbrella to cover a head, 

And maybe their mothers will not understand 

And whip them all soundly and send them to bed.” 

[ 14 ] 


THE APRIL FAIRY 


Then this fairy of April looked on the ground 

And sought for the toadstools, dainty and brown, 

And wished and wished and wished with her might 
That they might be changed into umbrellas light. 

You never saw children so happy before 

When up from the ground those umbrellas grew; 

One baby — the smallest one in the bunch — 

Ran in the briars and punched his through. 

He cried just a little but soon hushed up 
And ran with the others off home again; 

Their mothers were happy and kissed them all round 
Because none of their clothes were spoiled by the rain. 

It was hard to believe that the toadstools though 
Had been changed into umbrellas all in a wink; 

But the children declared it to be quite the fact 
And there was naught else for them to think. 

[ 15 ] 


VI 

THE MAY FAIRY 

The May fairy harnessed some white butterflies 
To a carriage made from a dainty pink shell, 
And waving her hand to the fairies behind, 

She floated away to a pretty green dell. 

“What a beautiful place for a dance,” she cried, 
“Here, I shall wish for a pretty Maypole; — 

There are grasses and flowers and shade quite enough 
To please all the court of the jolly King Cole.” 

Up came the Maypole out of the ground, 

Decked out in ribbons of red, white and blue, 

But where were the children to dance, my dear, 

It seemed that the fairy forgot, it is true. 

“Ho!” she laughed, with a toss of her head, 

“A pole without children never will do ! 

I guess I will hurry right off to the town, 

And gather them up, say a bushel or two.” 

[ 16 ] 


























THE MAY FAIRY 


So she did as she said and the children came back, 

Though where they were found, I’m sure I can’t say; 
They were dressed in white dresses and sashes and bows 
And ribbons and laces and slippers so gay. 

Oh, they had a fine time a-dancing, my dear, 

And the May fairy left that pole in the dell, 
Though where you will find it, if that’s what you say, 
You’re asking me more than I can tell. 


[ 17 1 


VII 

THE JUNE FAIRY 


When the June fairy floated a-down to the earth, 

Why, a gardening party she found, 

And girls and boys and babies too, 

Were busily digging the ground. 

Some were hoeing and some were raking, 

And some were spading, you know ; 

And some were searching round for seed 
To plant in the ground to grow. 

So the June fairy wished for a bagful of seed 
To be given to each, you see, 

But she also wished that every seed 
Should grow to a pussycat tree. 

Oh, these pussycat trees were wonderful trees! 

I think you’d like one to-day, v 

For every branch on every tree 
Was full of pussycats gray. 

[ iB ] 


THE JUNE FAIRY 


They could mew and mew and mew and mew 
And purr like any cat, — 

But as to whether the trees are there to-day 
You must ask the fairy that. 

They tell me the children pulled every one, 
Leaving only a few tails behind, 

And some of those on the willows grow 
And some in the bogs, you’ll find. 


[ 19 1 


VIII 

THE JULY FAIRY 

The July fairy was a merry elf 
And never lacked for fun, 

He jumped to the earth from a comet’s tail 
And galloped off in a run. 

He came to a town where soldiers marched 
With sword and fife and drum, 

And guess whom he saw in the parade 
A- watching those soldiers come ? 

Why the same little girl with the same little dog 
That had once blown up in the sky; 

And she held him still by the great long string 
— You remember as well as I. 

But just at that moment the brass band came 
And it frightened the little dog so, 

He jumped and snapped that string in two 
Just as it happened before. 

[ 20 ] 



Some were hoeing and 
some were raking, 
And some were spading, 
you know 







THE JULY FAIRY 


So the dog and the soldiers and the big brass band 
Got all mixed up, you see, 

And the little girl cried and wrung her hands, 

As pitiful as could be. 

The little boy with her tried and tried 
To catch the little dog’s string, 

But as the dog ran east while he ran west, 

He could do no such a thing. 

So the July fairy who had watched it all, 

Just thought he’d try his hand, 

And he wished and wished and wished that the dog 
In the little girl’s lap would land. 

And that’s what he did, as sure as you’re born, 

When the fairy touched his cap, 

Right through the air came the dog with a whiz ! 

And fell in the little girl’s lap. 

[ 21 ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


Then the little girl laughed and jumped for joy, 
As happy as ever before, 

And she got right up and carried him home 
And he never ran off any more. 

Then the July fairy went home too, 

Though he laughed every step of the way, 
To think what a funny wish he’d made 
On that Fourth of July day. 


[ 22 1 


IX 

THE AUGUST FAIRY 


This August fairy, if you please, 

Was the queerest fairy of all; 

He jumped from the clouds to a big air ship 
And balanced without a fall. 

But a big air ship is a slow machine 
For one from a fairy band, 

So with one great jump he leaped to the sea 
On a beautiful bar of sand. 

And there what a merry group he found 
Of children, one, two, three, 

A-digging wells in the silver sand 
Down by the deep, blue sea. 

One baby there was on the sand by the sea 
With fingers so chubby and fat 
He didn’t know how to dig any well — 

And spoiled the others, at that. 


[ 23 ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


So the children wished he’d leave them alone 
And go ’ way off and play by himself ! 

And they spoke real cross, though no one knew 
That some one was watching, — this fairy elf. 

But he was, and' he led that baby away, 

So quietly that nobody knew, 

And then he wished a very queer thing, 

While on the baby’s neck he blew. 

So, all in a twinkle, just what do you guess'? 

That baby was changed into something else ! 

A water baby, sir, and no mistake 

And not even known by his sister Bess. 

For as soon as the baby swam to the land 

Bess screamed and holloaed and ran and ran. 

And so did the others who followed her, — 

All of them ran and ran and ran. 

[ 24 ] 




























































































































































































































. 


































































































THE AUGUST FAIRY 


But the queer water baby wondered at that 
And reached out his dimpled arms to Bess, 

And puckered his lips and began to cry 
Because the children ran, I guess. 

And when they turned and looked once more 
Why, the water baby wasn’t there ! 

The wishing fairy had wished again 

And changed him back to their baby dear. 

And oh, they were glad to have him back 
And Bess ran up and hugged him tight, 

And vowed she’d never scold any more 

If he spoiled her wells from morning till night. 
They gathered around him every one 

And helped him dig his wells by the sea, 

Beautiful wells in the silver sand 

Till the baby was happy as happy could be. 

[ 2 5 ] 


X 

THE SEPTEMBER FAIRY 

The September fairy, I’ll have you to know, 

Lost no time in getting his round ; 

But rolled himself in a tiny ball 

And bounced to the earth with a single bound. 
Now I don’t know why , and I can’t tell how, 

But he bounced himself right up in a tree, 

In a great big orchard where other trees 

Were as full of apples as trees could be. 

And then as he rested there came through the bars 
Some girls and boys and babies too, 

Some had baskets and some had bags 
To gather the apples of every hue. 

They gathered them red and yellow and green 
And were just going out of the orchard again, 
When, what do you think, an ugly old man 

Popped up from the grass, where hidden he’d lain. 

[ 26 ] 


THE SEPTEMBER FAIRY 


He chased those children as hard as he could 

And ran them until they were all out of breath; 

Indeed, were it not for the fairy there, 

He might have scared them plumb to death ! 

But he wished a wish that was queer to be sure, — 
He wished that man would change to a tree , 

And as he was sour and cross, my dear, 

Why, he changed right into a crabapple~txtz\ 

A crabapple-tree, with gnarled old limbs 
Bent like his arms and back had been, 

And the apples that grew upon that tree 

Would pucker a child’s lips, right side in! 

That is why we have them to-day — 

Taste and see how puckered you’ll be; 

And never do you be cross, my dear, 

Lest the fairies change you to a crabapple-tree. 
[ 27 ] 


XI 

THE OCTOBER FAIRY 


When the little October fairy came 
It was late in the fall of the year, 

And she climbed the steps of a double house 
Where she saw a sight most queer. 

They were spooks, my dear, a whole line of them 
A-creeping down the stair, 

Wrapped up in sheets and funny masks 
And tipping everywhere. 

There seemed to be a party there 
That the spooks were coming to, 

Lights and jack-o’-lanterns and other things were seen, 
As any one would have on the night of hallowe’en. 
Now as the fairy watched the spooks, 

She thought it so much fun, 

Why, before she knew what she was about, 

She wished that she was one. 

[ 28 ] 



He chased those children 
as hard as he could 
And ran them until they 
were all out of 
breath 







* 

















THE OCTOBER FAIRY 


And all within a twinkle, 

Ere you could murmur “scat!” 

She changed into a boy — 

What do you think of that? 

Now the spooks were really children 
Dressed up in sheets, you see, 

And when the fairy found that out 

She felt as queer, — as queer could be. 

But she frolicked with the others 
And had the best of times, 

And bobbed for apples in a tub 
In which were silver dimes. 

They laid their masks and sheets aside 
Because this was such fun, — 

And the boy there with water a-trickling from his face 
Is the little fairy boy, if you wish to know the one. 

[ 29 ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


He was the very best of all the bobbers there, 

And bobbed so many dimes he gave them all around, 
And the children laughed and shouted 
Whenever one was found. 

But parties do not last forever and a day 

And so this party ended, as all tea parties do. 

The children all went home and went to bed I guess, 
And the little wishing fairy went to his home, too. 


[ 30 ] 


XII 

THE NOVEMBER FAIRY 

The little November fairy 
Was fair and full of grace, 

And she came to the earth on a snowflake, 
With a smile curved round her face. 

She chanced to peep in a schoolroom 

Where the children were busy with books, 
And it must have been close to Thanksgiving, 
If she judged by their joyous looks. 

I suppose they were studying of turkey 
And cranberry sauce and cake, 

And pies and apples and tarts and things 
That the cook was going to make. 

So the teacher gave them a pencil 
And rubber and drawing sheet, 

And then she told the children 

To draw their Thanksgiving treat. 

t 3i ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


Then Sambo drew a turkey, 

And Mary drew some wheat, 

And Sara drew a pumpkin, 

Large and round and neat. 

But Tim, the smallest boy, 

Drew only a tiny ring, 

And because his mother was poor and sick 
Why, he wasn’t to have one thing! 

Now the sweet November fairy 
Was sorry for little Tim, 

And she wished and wished in a hurry 
Such a beautiful plan for him. 

She wished that all of the children 
Would form a long parade 
And the things they had drawn on paper 
Would fade and fade and fade. 

[ 32 ] 





























' 




















































THE NOVEMBER FAIRY 


And in the place of their drawings, 
Why, the real thing was to come, 

The sure-enough turkey and cake and pie 
That had been drawn by every one. 
And all were to march to Tim’s house 
In a long parade so gay, 

And lay the good things at his door, 
Then quietly slip away. 

So, of course, that’s just what happened, 
For the fairy’s wish came true, 

And only a glimpse of the picture 
Will prove this fact to you. 

You can see the children marching, 
Full of joy and mirth, 

And the little Thanksgiving fairy 
Was glad of his trip to the earth. 

[ 33 ] 


XIII 

THE DECEMBER FAIRY 

And now we come to the December fairy — 
The last little fairy of all, 

Who came to the earth on Christmas eve 
To make his very first call. 

He pulled his cute little wishing cap 
Right over his golden hair 
And galloped around the entire world, 

On old Santa Claus’ white reindeer. 

At last he came to a great stone house 
That had rows and rows of beds 
And on all the pillows soft and white 
Tossed babies’ curly heads. 

A hospital then it must have been 
Because the babies were sick : — 

Some had measles and some had fevers 
And some had mumps and a crick. 

[ 34 ] 


THE DECEMBER FAIRY 


The white-capped nurses, with bottles and spoon, 
Hurried from bed to bed 
And dosed the babies one by one, 

Though no word about Santa was said. 

And to think that this was Christmas eve 
And the next morn Christmas day! 

And the babies hadn’t a stocking hung 
For toys bright and gay. 

And so the December fairy, 

Got as busy as busy could be, 

And while the nurses were fast asleep 
Did a wonderful thing, you’ll see. 

He wished for a bag crammed full of toys 
And stockings long and slim, 

And then he worked away in a glee 
And filled them all to the brim. 

[ 35 ] 


THE WISHING FAIRIES 


Then he tipped about from bed to bed 
As quiet as could be, 

And hung the stockings at the foot 
Right where the babies could see. 

Then off he skipped to Fairyland 
As fast as he could go, 

So when the babies opened their eyes, he wouldn’t 
Be there, you know. 

But when those babies did wake up 
And saw those toys bright, 

It might seem strange, but it made them well — 
The wonderful, wonderful sight! 

They crawled from the beds right down on the floor, 
And played and played and played, 

With horns and drums and dolls and carts 
And oh ! such a noise they made ! 

[ 36 ] 


THE DECEMBER FAIRY 


The nurses rushed in and the doctors came too, 
But the babies were all quite well, 

So they rushed them all home in an automobile 
And tumbled them out pell-mell. 

So this is the end of my story now 
Of the twelve little fairies gay, 

Who came to the earth with their wishing caps, 
And silently stole away. 

But the months of the year are left to you 
To see what you can do, 

And though you have no wishing cap 
There is a thinking cap for you : 

And a thinking cap is almost as good 
As a wishing cap, you’ll find, 

When you search about in the months of the year 
To do what is good and kind. 

[ 37 1 













